Taken For Granted
by Gemkat5
Summary: What if Jareth wasn't really the Goblin King? What if the real Goblin King didn't like the mess Sarah left behind? What if Sarah was forced to clean up her mess and make things right?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed. (Except for the goblin foods that i made up out of thin air. and in all honesty… Jim henson can have that too.)

Summary: What if Jareth wasn't really the Goblin King? What if the real Goblin King didn't like the mess Sarah left behind? What if Sarah was forced to clean up her mess and make things right?

**Taken For Granted**

**Chapter One**

"What! In Fate's name have you done to my city?" Gorn, the Goblin King, bellowed gruffly as he entered his throne room upon his return. "I trusted you to keep order, not create mayhem!"

"Gorn," Jareth greeted lazily, slouched sideways upon the throne. "You've returned earlier than expected."

"And you haven't answered my question, Lord of the Labyrinth," Gorn replied angrily. "And, get out of my chair!"

Jareth lithely slid from the throne, relinquishing it to it's rightful owner. "Come, come, Gorn. It wasn't anything that can't be fixed," Jareth quipped nonchalantly.

"He let a girl into the city," a goblin informed his king before running off to hide. Jareth grimaced at the retreating creature with displeasure.

"He did what?" Gorn bellowed, then turned black eyes upon Jareth. "You didn't?" the Goblin King asked, aghast. "We specifically agreed that you would ignore all wishes in my absence!" He placed a hand to his horned forehead as he wearily staggered backwards towards his throne. "I was only gone for three days, three days!" He paused his ranting to look up at the other being. "Did you at least tell her that you weren't the Goblin King?" he demanded urgently.

"I introduced myself as Jareth," he replied haughtily. "It's not my fault she assumed I was the king of goblins."

The Goblin King sagged heavily upon his throne, wiping at his face with a thick palmed hand. "Why would you let this girl slip through the labyrinth?" he asked in a suddenly tired voice. "You've never allowed one to get so far as the city before."

"It wasn't my intention to allow this one to slip away, either," he replied, a little bitterness lacing his tone. "She simply proved to be a bit more than I had expected."

"She found the oubliette in four hours," a goblin announced, scurrying as far from Jareth as possible as the other king glared at him.

"She escaped the oubliette?" Gorn asked with disbelief, sitting upright in his chair, never hearing of anyone escaping the oubliette before.

"No, I had one of my subject's retrieve her from the hole she fell in," Jareth informed Gorn haughtily. "With the instructions to take her back to the beginning of my Labyrinth. But, she enchanted the little scab, and had him show her the way in instead of out."

Gorn stared at his neighbor and friend as realization sunk into his mind. "Was she old enough to keep, by any chance?"

"Not quite," Jareth replied in a disgruntled tone. "It doesn't matter," he added in an uplift tone. "She defeated my labyrinth, destroyed your city, and reached the castle despite my efforts to stop her."

"He cheated," another goblin informed Gorn as he skittered hurriedly past them.

"Cheated?" Gorn quipped in a raised voice, his black eyes landing on Jareth once more. "How so?"

Jareth gave a stern threatening look to the little goblin before answering their king. "I '_may_' have been '_slightly_' deceiving at certain times," Jareth admitted vaguely with a nonchalant shrug and wayward wave of his hand.

"How old is the girl, exactly, Lord of the Labyrinth?" Gorn asked, purposely using his title to obligate him to tell the truth.

"She is fifteen Aboveground years, though I suspect she will celebrate a birthday soon."

"You should have left her in the oubliette to age, then release her with no choice but to remain with you."

Jareth diverted his eyes briefly. "What's done is done," he remarked dejectedly, then turned to leave. "I'll send help to rebuild your city," he told Gorn in a controlled voice as he headed for the exit.

"That would be most generous, Lord of the Labyrinth," Gorn replied with respect, watching his friend leave the room. He'd been affiliated with his neighbor for many years and had rarely seen him appear so distraught. "Was the girl attractive?" Gorn asked his goblins after Jareth had left.

"Pretty girl," a goblin answered happily. "Had eyes like green gems. Jareth gave girl a dream and made her forget."

"They danced in fancy clothes," another goblin added dreamily, twirling around in a small space as though dancing. Another goblin joined in, and they wandered off twirling and sidestepping.

"But, she remembered and shattered the dream," the first goblin continued.

"Then, she came to the city," a third goblin stated. "With Hoggle and the knight from the bog bridge."

"The bog?" Gorn interceded with surprise. "He sent her to the bog?" he asked, thinking that very strange indeed.

"Only if she kiss Hoggle," A goblin answered as he jiggled past his king with chicken feathers in his hands.

"Hoggle is now Prince of Eternal Stench," a blue horned goblin announced informatively, trying to aim a flapping chicken to fly into the dancing goblins.

"Interesting," Gorn murmured thoughtfully, piecing it all together in his mind. "Then what happened?"

"Big monster called the rocks, and girl got into the castle."

"And so, she took back the babe," Gorn surmised.

"Only after she say the right words," the first goblin informed his king. "King Jareth hid the babe, but the girl finds him."

"King Jareth offered the girl more dreams," the second goblin stated, still dancing with empty space between his outstretched arms, the other goblin being distracted by the flapping chicken. "But she tell him, 'you have no power over me!'" the goblin quoted in a high pitched, mimicking voice, making the others laugh and cackle uproariously.

"Did she now," Gorn assessed thoughtfully. "How long ago had all this occurred?"

"Three hours," The blue horned goblin answered. "We just came back from the party."

"Party? What party?" Gorn asked, confused again.

"Sarah had a big party after Jareth send her home."

"It was fun!"

"I jump up and down on soft bed!" the littlest goblin announced joyfully.

"Everyone was there!" a one eyed goblin said excitedly, then his smile faded. "Everyone except King Jareth."

"What a bitter pill that must be for him," Gorn stated quietly with empathy, then took a deep breath. "Bring the girl back to me," he commanded his horde decisively. "Be polite, and give her time to make herself presentable. She will most likely still be abed in her world."

XxXxX

Sarah was full of apprehension as she quickly slipped on her jeans. The goblins wouldn't tell her anything except that the Goblin King wanted to see her. She thought about rebelling, telling them she wouldn't go back. But, how do you rebel against magical creatures that simply appear in your room in the middle of the night? Besides, they were being very polite about the whole thing, if not a little pushy by telling her to hurry up.

She no sooner had her sneakers on when she found herself standing before a human sized, stout, horned goblin seated upon the throne within the castle beyond the goblin city. His fleshy round face had flabby cheeks, a second chin hung under the first, purple flappy lips made his mouth look bigger than it really was, and two short, blue, curved horns protruded upon his head. The small tuff of hair in the center of his horns was black, as were his close set, small eyes. He was frightening at first glance, until you looked into his eyes, and saw kindness there.

"You are Sarah Williams," Gorn stated matter of factly. "You '_are_' very attractive, I can see why he had trouble deciding what to do with you."

"Who are you?" Sarah asked politely, if not a little fearfully.

"I am the Goblin King." He chuckled at her confused expression. "Jareth didn't correct your wrong assumption when he answered your wish," he informed her pleasantly.

"No, apparently he didn't," she replied, sounding slightly disgruntled at being misled. "But, I won his challenge fairly," she added with determination. "I made my way through the Labyrinth, through dangers untold and hardships un…"

"Yes," Gorn interrupted in a bored tone. "Yes, yes, yes. You did all those things, even more than most, and yet less than some."

"I don't understand," Sarah stated.

"He cheated, girl!" Gorn announced in a loud voice. "He trapped you, enchanted you, misled you, and made your journey much more challenging than I would have." He paused for a breath. "Of course, I would have simply left you in the oubliette. However, Jareth had his own reasons for letting you out."

"Are you saying that I didn't really win because '_he_' cheated?" she asked challengingly. "I did what I had to do!" she declared, stepping closer. "I fought my way to the castle! I found my brother! I said my words! It's not my fault that '_he_' cheated!"

Gorn chuckled with humor, liking the fire in this one, the determination, the defiance. It was no wonder Jareth was attracted to her. "It wasn't my challenge nor my rules, girl," Gorn stated pleasantly. "Jareth let you defeat him, and so you are deemed victorious."

"Then, why am I here?" she asked softly, confused all over again. "What do you want with me?"

"I want you to fix what you have broken," the Goblin King announced in a commanding voice. "And, I will keep you here until everything is made right."

"The book didn't say anything about me having to fix things," Sarah argued, her hands resting on her hips.

"The book is ever changing, just as the labyrinth itself, girl," Gorn stated, leaning slightly forward in the chair.

"Will I have help?" she asked, letting her hands fall to her sides, assuming the Goblin King was referring to his city to be repaired.

"Did you have help destroying everything?" he asked pointedly.

"She did have help!" a goblin exclaimed with excitement. "We helped!"

"She is very quick," another goblin continued. "We missed a lot!"

"I blew a hole in my house!" yet another exclaimed with misplaced excitement.

"And she had Hoggle."

"And the knight."

"And a monster who calls rocks."

"You are '_not_' helping!" Gorn roared at his goblins with irritation, reducing the noise in the room to a minimal din. Sarah couldn't help but snicker behind a hand.

Suddenly, Jareth was standing in the space between Sarah and Gorn, facing the Goblin King. "Here are the drafts to rebuild your city, Gorn," Jareth announced, holding out parchments for the Goblin King to take.

"I am conducting business, Lord of the Labyrinth," Gorn informed Jareth regally, noticing how uneasy the girl became at Jareth's appearance. She stepped further back from them while bowing her head to the side, as though looking for a crack to fall into. He also noticed the flush that filled the girl's cheeks as she stole a glance toward his old friend. "But, I'll take these to look over later."

Jareth turned his head to look behind himself with curiosity when his eyes fell on Sarah. He dramatically moved his body to the side, facing her directly with shocked surprise. "What is she doing here, Gorn?" he demanded to know in an accusing tone.

"Interestingly enough, she called upon the Goblin King shortly after you left," Gorn told Jareth deceitfully. Sarah lowered her face to hide her dismay of being accused of something she didn't do, but figured if Jareth could lie to her, then it served him right to be lied to in turn.

Jareth, on the other hand, mistakenly took her demeanor as embarrassment for making an obvious mistake. "Oh, dear," Jareth stated patronizingly, stepping closer to her with haughty confidence. "Was there something you forgot during your visit?"

Sarah raised her eyes to lock her gaze with Jareth's. Her defiance and ire made them seem darker than usual. Gorn's skin prickled at the cold expression the girl bestowed his friend, while Jareth merely chuckled at her without humor.

"Perhaps, you returned to ask for this?" Jareth suggested, holding her mother's ring between two fingers in front of Sarah's face "Or, perhaps you miss this little trinket?" he taunted, showing her the bracelet she had given to Hoggle.

A pained expression flitted over her features before her eyes hardened once more. "Unlike some people, Jareth," she accused in an icy tone. "I don't take back gifts once they are given."

"You didn't want them!" he argued heatedly. "You refused everything I offered you, why not take back my gifts?"

"You let me believe that you were the king of goblins!" she countered heatedly, matching his tone perfectly. "I'm glad I didn't take anything from you!"

Jareth took a dramatic step back, arrogantly peering down his nose at her. "Yes, well, you were warned not to take anything for granted." He turned to pace slightly before returning his gaze towards her. "You had it all figured out, remember? It was a piece of cake."

"Yea, just like the slice you sent after us in a dark tunnel!" she accused. "So, what are you then?" she threw at him suddenly, arrogantly crossing her arms in front of her. "A messenger? A Mage? Or maybe your simply the court jester."

"You would be wise to hold your tongue for things you know nothing about," Jareth growled threateningly, stepping up close to her.

"And how am I supposed to know anything when all I get from you are lies?" she returned, meeting his icy gaze with her own.

"Lies! I have not spoken one untruth to you!" Jareth exclaimed, then added in an arrogant tone. "You simply assume things incorrectly."

"Really?" she challenged, stepping up closer to him, their bodies nearly touching. "I know of at least one lie you've spoken to me."

"Is that so?" he chuckled doubtfully. "And what would that be?"

"You told me that I was no match for you," she replied arrogantly. "Or were you simply taking things for granted, and assumed that I would have failed?"

His eyes flashed dangerously with his anger before gaining control of himself. "You still understand nothing!" he hissed at her, turning to put some distance between then. "Is that why you called me? To gloat? To remind me of how you defeated the great and powerful king?"

Sarah met his enraged gaze with her own leveled one. "The reason I'm here obviously has nothing to do with you at all, '_Lord of the Labyrinth_'."

"Why has she summoned the Goblin King, Gorn?" Jareth demanded of his friend questioningly, spinning around to face the oversized goblin.

Gorn chuckled openly, completely amused at what he witnessed between the two before him. "It was a summons, Jareth, not a wish. You needn't concern yourself in my affairs."

Once again Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously. He took a threatening step towards Gorn before catching himself and halted all movement. "Suit yourself, old friend," Jareth stated in a feigned calm tone. "But, don't call me when she destroys what's left of your castle." With that said he vanished into a cloud of glitter.

"Why did you lie to him?" Sarah accused Gorn as soon as Jareth was gone. "Why did you tell him that I summoned the Goblin King, when I didn't?"

He gazed down at the girl with eyes full of amusement. "Why didn't '_you_' tell him that you '_didn't_' summon the goblin king?" Gorn countered.

Sarah looked away, flustered and embarrassed. "Because he just gets me so… augh! I can't '_think_' with him around!"

"You were able to think clearly enough to take back the child he had stolen," Gorn reminded her in a patient tone.

"That was different," she explained, calming down. "I had to save my brother. Don't you understand? I '_couldn't_' let him win."

Gorn leaned forward in his chair, his eyes looking upon her with empathy. "Sarah, it's you who doesn't understand. He won the moment you stepped into his labyrinth."

"No," she shook her head in denial. "I fought my way through the labyrinth. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I …"

"Asked for help," Gorn interrupted evenly. Sarah froze and stared at the Goblin King with wide eyes, finally starting to see his point. "And, Jareth gave it to you." Gorn leaned back in upon his cushions. "As I've told you before, I would have simply left you in the oubliette."

"No," she denied again. "That's not right. No one told me that I couldn't ask for help!" She paced in a tight circle, holding her head with confusion while some goblins followed her playfully. "I won his challenge, I did!" Her mind worked overtime, recounting everything she'd gone through while in the labyrinth, then lifted her eyes with sudden realization to meet Gorn's calm, patient gaze. The goblins following behind her slammed into her back in a domino effect. "In fact, I didn't ask for help the first time, it was given. That worm told me how to find doorways without my asking him!"

"You asked the gatekeeper which way to go," Gorn reminded her, having all the information of her journey in his mind, given to him by the magic of the Labyrinth itself.

"Hoggle wasn't any help in the beginning," she snorted. "All he told me was that he wouldn't go either way." Sarah's eyes suddenly filled with realization as she looked up at Gorn. "He told me which way to go, didn't he?" she asked. "I was supposed to go straight, wasn't I? There was a doorway there, wasn't there?"

"Jareth won the moment you stepped into his labyrinth," Gorn repeated steadily.

"But… but, I didn't listen to Hoggle, I turned. I ran down corridor after corridor."

"Only to have the same creature show you the way later in your journey. When you were trapped within the oubliette."

Sarah wanted to crumple into a heap on the floor. She wanted to run away where no one could find her, and cry at how stupid she was. How brave she thought she had been. She wanted to scream about how unfair it was. But, all she ended up doing was meeting Gorn's waiting gaze.

"Then it was all for nothing," she stated, tears threatening to spill over brimmed eyes.

"I have no claim over you, girl, I've told you this. I do, however, hold claim over the damage you had caused here, and would have you heal what has been broken."

Feeling completely dejected, Sarah nodded in agreement to help fix the damage she had caused. "Am I to remain here forever?" she asked fearfully, not looking up at the Goblin King.

"Only if that is how long it takes you to make things right."

XxXxX

"I suggest you take advantage of the opportunity before you, Jareth." Gorn was telling his friend a few weeks after Sarah had been returned to the Underground. "Sarah is definitely headstrong and defiant, I give you that much. Already she commands most of my goblins in assisting her."

"What makes you think I want anything to do with the mortal, Gorn?" he asked in a bored, guarded tone.

"Hmph," Gorn huffed. "You can't even bear to say her name, and you ask me why you should go after her." He stepped forward to lean on the window sill to oversee the city below from the throne room. "Are you aware that she can sense when you are nearby?"

"Really?" Jareth questioned, trying to sound impartial, but failing. Clearing his throat he continued, accomplishing a neutral tone. "What would make you believe that?"

"She's glanced up at the castle four times since your arrival, Jareth." He turned his gaze towards his friend. "She hasn't glanced this way at all in almost a week and a half."

"I'm sure a goblin told her of my being here," Jareth surmised aloud with reason. "She's simply paranoid that I would challenge her."

"Why don't you?" Gorn suggested innocently.

"What for?" Jareth returned, then glanced out the window himself, his eyes automatically landing upon Sarah. "She's refused me once. I won't subject myself to her whims again."

"She doesn't know you, Jareth. She's only seen the fearful, commanding side of you, not the being who desperately needs companionship." He glanced out the window as Jareth frowned at him. "Ah, I knew that wouldn't hold," Gorn remarked casually. "She didn't let the mud dry enough before adding more stone."

Jareth casually peered out the window to see what Gorn was referring to. The wall Sarah was adding stones to was starting to capsize, threatening to topple down upon her completely. Within the blink of an eye Jareth was gone from the throne room only to reappear at Sarah's back. Wrapping an arm around her waist, they both disappeared just as the wall of stone crumbled to the ground where Sarah had been standing.

Gorn chuckled to himself slyly. "I clearly see how you will not subject yourself to the girl, my old friend."

XxXxX

"Get off of me!" Sarah complained, struggling from Jareth's embrace. He let her go, allowing her to stumble forward a couple of steps before gaining her feet and turning back to glare at him. "Keep your hands off of me!" she ranted at him, then began to walk away.

He was going to simply let her go until he heard her mumble under her breath. '_Overgrown ape_.' He was in front of her in an instant, causing her to gasp in surprise, and stumble backwards so she didn't slam into his chest.

"Is that really what you think of me?" he asked with mild curiosity, a snide smile on his lips.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied, and tried to push past him. He took her firmly by the arm near her elbow and maneuvered her back against the stone house they were standing near.

"I have superb hearing," he informed her, leaning close to her while she pressed back further against the wall, her breaths suddenly uneven. "Why would you consider me an overgrown ape, I wonder? Do you honestly compare me to mortal men?"

"I don't compare you to anyone, or anything," she retorted, collecting her inner courage. "Just leave me alone!" She moved to push past him only for him to stop her once again with a firm hand on her arm.

"I want to know what you summoned me for," he told her, taking advantage of the situation. "What reason had you given Gorn to bring you back?"

Sarah met his eyes with hers, feeling that captivating pull that had almost lured her to him before. '_He won the moment you stepped into his labyrinth_,' she heard Gorn say in the back of her mind. '_Jareth let you defeat him._' "It doesn't matter," she whispered choppily, suddenly refusing to look up at him. "Nothing is as it seems here. Nothing." She shoved at him hard, forcibly pushing him back to get past.

Jareth let her go, looking after her as she briskly made her way through the city back to where she had been working. '_She actually trembled_,' Jareth thought with confusion, then magically rejoined Gorn in the throne room by the window. "What have you filled her head with, Gorn?" he questioned his friend in a casual tone. "That would make her fear me more now than ever before?"

"Mortals," Gorn scoffed off-handedly. "One never knows what their heads are full of."

"You told her, didn't you?" he accused lightly. "You told her that I let her defeat me."

"Perhaps," he allotted with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "It might have come up in conversation."

"Then, I'd be wasting my time bothering with her," Jareth stated evenly. "Her mild fear has turned to terror. I have no chance of getting close to her now." Jareth slowly faded from Gorn's sights.

Gorn turned his attention back out his window and watched as Sarah rejoined the goblins around the fallen structure below. He observed how she stared up at this very window, despite not being able to see within it. The moment Jareth had left the girl bowed her head dejectedly, wiping at her face with the back of her hand before focusing once more on her task. "Such stubbornness," Gorn reflected with a deep sigh, thinking of both the girl, and his friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed. (Except for the goblin foods that i made up out of thin air, and in all honesty… Jim Henson can have those, too.)

**Taken For Granted**

**Chapter Two**

"I think I'm getting better with mixing the mud just right, don't you?" Sarah asked Gorn as they slowly walked through the city towards the castle.

"I am very impressed with your work, and your creative ideas as well," Gorn answered, looking around searchingly. He had summoned Jareth a half hour ago, where was he? "It was most ingenious to dig a channel for water to flow through…"

"Oh damn, the channel!" Sarah exclaimed suddenly. "I forgot to lower the dam!"

Gorn watched as she turned on her heels and ran off out of sight. Shaking his head, he faced forward to continue on his way only to see Jareth leaning against a building nearby. Frowning, he glanced over his shoulder in the direction Sarah had retreated, then back towards his old friend.

"I know what you're up to, Gorn," Jareth announced confidently, pushing away from the wall to stride casually towards his friend. "And, it won't work."

"What am I up to, Lord of the Labyrinth?" Gorn asked good naturedly.

"You're trying to force an issue that cannot be forced," Jareth explained pleasantly, falling into step next to Gorn. "This isn't the first time you've attempted to have her in my presence, only to fail." Jareth turned sideways to look at Gorn directly. "Fate, it seems, is against my being anywhere near the girl, so let's just call it a good try, and leave it at that."

"I call it woman's intuition," Gorn grumbled. "That girl can sense you coming clear all the way from your castle." Gorn let a cheery expression fall upon his face as he looked up at Jareth. "Which, by the way, she asked if you had one today," he stated with a humorous chuckle. "It seems she still takes things for granted, heh?"

"When exactly will she be finished her task?" Jareth asked curtly, ignoring the fact that Gorn was trying spark his interest in the girl. Which, unbeknownst to Gorn, he didn't have to try so hard. Sarah was rarely far from his foremost thoughts without Gorn forcing her upon him. "Having the city under construction is hindering my challenges for the wishers. I almost lost the last one, you know."

"Of course I know, Jareth, I am just as aware of things as you are. As for the rebuilding of the city, I plan to expand westward…"

Jareth caught the outline of a human female out of the corner of his eye and turned his gaze in her direction, Gorn's voice fading off into the background of his mind. She froze, looking completely surprised at seeing him there. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him with wariness. Jareth turned his head away seemingly disinterested, and pretended to listen to Gorn as he talked adamantly about the rebuilding of his city.

It was the shock of a lifetime for Sarah to turn the corner and see Jareth standing there. She hadn't realized that she was ignoring that feeling his presence induced so completely as to get so close to him. When she felt the familiar twinge of warmth that announced his presence, she had assumed that he had went directly to the castle, never suspecting him to be in the city itself. She stood her ground as he turned his head away, giving her the opportunity to really look at him for the first time in months. He really was very attractive, or perhaps it was simply the lack of human companionship that made her ogle him openly, she wasn't sure.

"Come," Gorn was saying with an uplift in his voice, placing a friendly palm upon Jareth's shoulder. "Let me show you the channel."

Jareth quirked a naturally arched brow at the Goblin King. "She's standing right there, Gorn, you needn't shove me about your city in search of her."

Gorn turned to see Sarah standing stock still and staring at the other king. Glancing back at Jareth he finally noticed the regal arrogance that had filtered into his friend's expression. "One of you will have to move eventually," Gorn stated in a low voice with a chuckle. "Why not see how far she runs if you approach her?"

Jareth turned his head in her direction once more, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully at seeing how she openly stared at him, when suddenly a horde of goblins came screaming from around a building.

"Sarah! Come! It falls down!" they screamed, tugging and pulling on Sarah's arms and clothes for her to follow them. Seemingly reluctant, she finally looked away from him, and let the horde rush her off out of sight.

"I seriously hope you're not expecting her to have this project finished any time soon," Jareth remarked dryly, looking back at his friend. "It seems to fall apart as fast as she builds it."

"Pfft," Gorn voiced with a careless wave of his hand. "She's learning by trial and error. Come! Let's share food. My cook prepared demba!"

"Really?" Jareth questioned, letting himself be distracted. "I think I will," Jareth replied with a pleasing smirk. "That's a delicacy I don't get to enjoy often."

Gorn noticed how Jareth glanced one last time toward the spot Sarah had been standing in before he turned toward the castle. Grinning inwardly, the Goblin King suddenly had a brilliant idea of how to get these two stubborn beings within reach of each other, and this time it wouldn't fail.

XxXxX

"The Lord of the Labyrinth gave compliments on the bridge structure you finished," Gorn informed Sarah over a bubbling cauldron in the castle kitchen.

"Really?" Sarah quipped hopefully. It never failed, whenever Sarah saw the other king, or even heard his name mentioned, her heart skipped a beat with excitement. She covered her obvious interest with sarcasm. "I'm surprised he didn't bet on it falling over like he did with the tower for the well wheel."

"Pah," Gorn sounded, waving his meaty hand waywardly. "I didn't expect that to remain standing myself," He told her good naturedly. "You set the stones too close to each other. I simply allowed him to place his bet for friendship's sake."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Gorn," she mumbled, tossing a dozen green roots into the cauldron. One thing Sarah learned about Gorn during her time in his city was that he rarely interfered with her construction, leaving her alone to build and fail as she went along. Only if it was life threatening would he appear to guide her with instruction.

"Not so much snaproot," he chastised lightly, quickly dipping a ladle into the brew to remove several of the roots. "These are very strong after being boiled, too much will overpower the flavor of the puntha leaves, which has a delicate flavor that must be prepared right." He placed the soggy roots and ladle aside. "As for my confidence in you, girl, I knew full well that you would not only figure out how to place the stones correctly, but that you would create a grand tower indeed!"

Sarah smiled shyly under his praise, stirring the contents over the fire with a long cooking stick. "You've always been good to me, Gorn. Why?"

"Pah," he snorted, shifting his bulk uncomfortably. "I only treat you good so you work better," he replied, busying himself by slicing a dozen or so of the thick, juicy puntha leaves into quartered slices. "You have many horrible habits that I can't wait to be rid of when you eventually finish your work."

"What sort of habits?" she asked indignantly. "All I do is help clean up and build things!"

"Precisely my point!" he stated gruffly. "Too much cleaning isn't good for goblins," he grumbled, focusing his full attention to the food. He had grown quite fond of the girl during her stay, if only he could make his friend see how she had changed, how she's grown, since living among them. "Such behavior is better suited for someone who would appreciate it." Gorn turned mischievous eyes towards Sarah, his flappy lips curled with a grin. "Jareth, for example, would lavish you with your hearts desires if you bestowed your nasty cleaning habits upon him."

"Nice try, Gorn" Sarah grimaced in a sourly tone. "I would rather level the city and have to start rebuilding from scratch than to bestow anything upon '_him_'." She intently watched as he delicately dipped the sliced, melon looking leaves into the boil, then let them slip into the cauldron one at a time. "Why do you have to be so careful of how you put them in the pot?"

"Because they aren't dead yet," Gorn answered directly. "If they're not placed into the boil correctly, they will jump out and make a fine mess of things."

"But, you just sliced them into quarters, surely that killed it?" she half asked with innocence.

"Surely not, girl. You still take too much for granted in this place."

"I guess I do," she replied thoughtfully, paying close attention to his preparations with the food. Demba was considered a goblin delicacy, and wasn't prepared too often. Despite its gnarlish appearance, and it's even nastier smell, it's taste surpassed anything Sarah had ever eaten in her life, and wanted to learn how to make it herself. "I'll have to work harder on that."

"That is a good idea," Gorn nodded, watching her from the corner of his eye. It took all he possessed to not laugh uproariously at how gullible she still was. After being in his kingdom for nearly two years, one would think she would learn certain things by now. '_A plant jumping out of a boiling cauldron_,' he snickered to himself. '_How silly to believe such a thing!_'

"Why are you making so much demba?" she asked, eyeing several other cauldrons that simmered over blazing fires.

"I am expecting guests this evening," he told her bluntly. "Haven't I mentioned this to you?" She shook her head in the negative. "Oh. well, I expect you to attend as well. I would have you dress appropriately, being that it is a feast."

"A feast?" she muttered. "I don't have anything nice to wear to a feast."

"You wear a pretty dress every evening," Gorn reprimanded evenly.

"That's my nightgown," she exclaimed, mortified at the thought of having to wear that at a dinner.

"Nightgown, daygown, it is suitable enough. You are very becoming in it."

"Gorn, I can't! It's…"

"I expect you to be adorned in your lace and frill gown for my dinner feast!" he bellowed with impatient authority.

"Yes, Gorn," she replied , knowing that she pushed his patience too far. But, he didn't understand! She '_couldn't_' wear her nightgown to a dinner… with guests! Wait a minute, guests? "Gorn?" she questioned tentatively. "Who are your guests for the evening?"

"Lords and Ladies of the Underground," he replied simply, distracted with his cooking. "Though, only a handful will attend. Most of the genteel refuse to associate with the likes of goblins." He chuckled good humouredly. "Which is fine by me, I don't like too many genteel invading my kingdom, either."

"But, why must I attend?" She asked with apprehension.

"Because, I command it," he stated evenly. Then glanced at her briefly, and softened his tone somewhat. "I want all who see my city to know who had constructed such fine structures. Besides, there will be a few beings who are mortal, like you. It will be good for you to meet others like yourself."

"You mean they're human, like I am?" she questioned with excitement. The thought at having someone human to talk to for a change was definitely worth attending, if only she could find something appropriate to wear!

Gorn glanced over at her, noticing how her eyes lit with excitement. She never once hinted that she missed her own kind, never complained about the habits and lifestyle of goblins, but he knew she missed being with others of her own kind, or close enough to her own kind, and she deserved an award for all her diligence and hard work in his city. "They are close enough to your kind, though not too many are mortal," he answered her carefully, watching her reaction closely.

"Are they like Jareth?" she asked openly, using the only basis for comparison she had.

"Yes, they are very much like Jareth." He watched as she processed the information, all sorts of emotions flitting across her attractive features, when suddenly her eyes became guarded and cautious.

"Is Jareth going to be here tonight, Gorn?"

He'd been waiting for that question, and had a response on the tip of his tongue. "He hadn't replied to my invite, but I don't assume anything when it comes to that one." Gorn noticed how her eyes shone with disappointment as she lowered her chin.

"Oh," she murmured almost inaudibly, then squared her shoulders and met his gaze once more. "Good," she smiled with bravado. "Then, he probably won't come."

Gorn was about to remind her about taking things for granted, but decided to hold his tongue instead. '_Let her think that the Lord of the Labyrinth would pass up the opportunity to attend a demba feast_,' he thought whimsically to himself. '_And then, we will all see how disinterested these two truly are towards each other._'

"Gorn, I have to have something different to wear," Sarah reiterated. "The gown I have is for sleeping, not dinners with guests."

Gorn regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. '_Perhaps she wasn't trying to be difficult after all_,' he thought with consideration. '_Pah, what do I know of female attire?_' Aloud he replied with, "There is a room within the castle full of old things that have been collected and tossed aside from other realms. Have a goblin show you were it is, and see if you can find something to your liking."

"Oh, Gorn! Thank you!" she exclaimed excitedly, taking a half a step forward, paused, then turned on her heels to rush from the kitchen in search of a goblin.

Gorn dabbed at the perspiration on his horned forehead. For a moment he thought she would hug him, a human display of kindness, gratitude, and affection. Something Gorn definitely didn't need to experience! It was time for Sarah Williams to fix the damage she had done so long ago. Hopefully, nothing else will be destroyed in the process.

XxXxX

After leaving the kitchen, Sarah ran to find Gidget, a kindly female goblin with a funny sense of humor, and kind black eyes. She had become one of Sarah's first friends within the goblin city, and was more than willing to help Sarah 'become beautiful' for the Goblin King's feast. After shuffling through mounds of clothes from every decade and century, Sarah finally took Gidget's advice and settled upon an eighteenth century style dress that fit her a little loosely but was close enough. They found a pair of kid slippers that didn't quite match the gown, but Sarah couldn't find anything better that fit her feet. Besides, the skirt of her dress practically dragged on the floor, so her feet wouldn't be noticed anyway.

Gidget had taken the gown to be cleaned while Sarah fretted incessantly over her hair, and the poor condition of her hands and nails. She hadn't realized how dried and calloused her hands had become from handling stone and clay everyday, her nails were cracked and in such bad shape that she wished she had thought to look for gloves, too. But, she ran out of time, and had to dress quickly as soon as Gidget returned with her clothes.

She had no slips to wear under the skirt, no lacy chemise to enhance the bodice of the dress, no proper shoes, no gloves, no jewelry… "Augh!" she exclaimed frustrated, slamming her hairbrush down on the vanity. "This is hopeless! I look like Cinderella in rags!" she cried, hiding her face in the palms of her hands. "What am I going to do? I can't be seen by lords and ladies looking like this! I'm horrible looking! Ugly and… just horrible!"

Gidget looked at her human friend with helplessness. She'd never seen Sarah upset like this before. Sarah was always strong, always smiled, always a friend. The goblin scrunched her round face with determination and stepped forward. "You live with goblins too long," Gidget proclaimed, poking Sarah in the back with a pointy finger. "You not care any other time about hands or hair! You have princess hands, princess hair!" she exclaimed, grabbing Sarah's hand to align it with hers, palm to palm. Gidget's hand was as small as a five years old human's, with gray wrinkled skin, and nails as thick and pointed as claws. "Sarah is stronger than she think. She looks delicate, but she tough as goblins, she is!"

Sarah let one last tear fall from her eye as she gazed upon her friend, her heart swelled with fondness for this dear creature who she called a friend. Without thinking, she grabbed Gidget in her arms and hugged her profusely, scaring the little creature for a second, before she relaxed and returned Sarah's hug.

"You're right, Gidget," Sarah stated, sniffling with resolve. "I'm lucky to have found a dress at all. Gorn would've had me attend in my nightgown!" She released the goblin and jumped to her feet. "Okay, Gidget, help me get into this thing. I've got some socks to knock off, and I don't want to be late!"

Gidget frowned with confusion, and was going to ask what socks were, but decided not to risk dampening Sarah's new found good mood. With adept fingers that were used to weaving, Gidget laced up the back of Sarah's dress, then sat her down so she could weave her long silken hair into a beautiful arrangement. "You 'become beautiful' too easy," Gidget grinned fondly from over Sarah's shoulder before the mirror.

Sarah smiled affectionately at her friend, she would have never been able to make herself look this presentable without her help. "Thank you, Gidget," she stated heartfelt, placing her hand over the goblin's on her shoulder. "Well, it's show time," Sarah stated, taking a deep breath as she rose to her feet. "Wish me luck," she added, smoothing her skirt one last time before heading to the door.

"I wish you luck, Sarah," Gidget replied, though wasn't sure why Sarah needed luck to eat food. Shrugging, the female goblin left Sarah's chambers by a secret way, and returned to her own humble home.

XxXxX

Her mother always said, '_If you can't make a grand entrance, then don't make one at all_.' Well, it wasn't Sarah's intention to make a grand entrance, but that's precisely what she ended up doing. She was fashionably late, though purely by accident, and paused at the doorway to gain some perspective about the other guests, then cringed visibly. She was the only one dressed up, in fact, most of the guests were just like her and wore practically the same clothes that she wore everyday, three females were wearing nightgowns.

Sarah was about to turn on her heels, and run back to her room and change when she caught sight of Jareth. She thoughtlessly took the moment to stare openly at him, knowing she wouldn't be able to once he was aware of her. He was absolutely striking in black breeches with his black knee high boots. His loose shirt was a deep purple and open wide at the neck, his vest was black, laced snugly around his ribs. His hair was subtly streaked with various colors, and… he wasn't wearing gloves. As she raised her eyes back up to his face, she found him calmly staring at her, watching her intently as she openly ogled him.

'_She's the picture of perfection_,' Jareth thought as soon as his gaze landed upon her. He had casually turned his head to see who it was that he felt staring at him, and almost lost his breath completely. She was adorned in a yellow and blue dress that pooled around her feet on the floor, hiding what he suspected were bare feet, knowing Gorn. In fact, Jareth was surprised the girl was wearing such finery at all, and briefly wondered where she had acquired the gala. Her hair was woven in decorative braids of twirls and loops, giving her an elegance that was rarely seen in the Underground, and never seen in the Goblin Kingdom.

He noticed how she stared at him as though transfixed just by his mere presence. Stepping from the small group he had been conversing with, he watched her reaction closely, smirking with satisfaction as her eyes widened with a beautiful flush staining her cheeks as he slowly drew closer.

"Stop gawking in the doorway, Girl!" Gorn suddenly announced authoritively, making Sarah jump at the loud, gruff voice breaking the near silence of the hall.

Licking her lips, she tore her eyes from Jareth's, and briskly made her way to the Goblin King, cringing inwardly at missing her chance to get away unseen. "Forgive me for being tardy, your Majesty," she addressed Gorn, curtsying before him.

"By the fates, girl, I didn't know you could bend like that so gracefully. Stop being so formal, and go help in the kitchen."

"Yes, Gorn," Sarah replied with a bowed head, stepping towards the kitchen to do his bidding. She was so embarrassed that she felt the hot sting of color flood her face all the way down to her neck. '_I am so_ s_tupid_,' she chastised herself. '_Just stupid! He never said I was a guest, he just said he wanted me to attend_.' She felt the choke of tears in the back of her throat as she reached the kitchen archway. '_I wish I stayed in my room!_'

"Sarah," Jareth called out her in a mildly authoritive voice. She froze, her back visibly tensed before she slowly turned herself around to face him. Her eyes beheld him warily while her hands nervously wrung in front of her. '_Oh no_,' she thought with trepidation. '_He changed his mind, he's going to make me stay with him now. All because I had to insist on dressing up!_'

"Jareth," Gorn addressed in a tight voice. "Surely you won't overrule my authority while being a guest in my castle?"

Jareth tore his eyes from Sarah to peer at Gorn, narrowing his eyes as he regarded the other king silently. "Of course not," he answered with a sudden chuckle, plastering a broad smile upon his face. "I was merely going to tell the girl to not spill any demba while serving the food."

"How thoughtful of you, Lord of the Labyrinth," Gorn returned haughtily, not fooled for one second by Jareth's attempt of deceit. "However, the demba will be left to my goblins to handle. Sarah is a guest this evening in the same manner as everyone else, I simply require her assistance with a more delicate matter." Gorn turned his gaze toward Sarah and nodded for her to continue on her way. She disappeared into the kitchen without another word.

Gorn followed her into the kitchen, filling the room with his kingly airs as he approached Sarah with calculated steps, his arms wrapped around his sides to his back.

"I made a fool of myself," Sarah announced with tear filled eyes. "I took for granted that your feast would be formal, not thinking about goblin customs at all." She diverted her eyes to the floor. "In my arrogance to dress nice and be beautiful, I only made myself look stupid and horrible."

"A lesson self taught is always remembered the longest," Gorn stated informatively. "But, surly you don't think yourself horrible, by Jareth's reaction alone you are radiant! I want you to serve the wine. My goblins seem to be clumsy when it comes to handling crystal goblets. I want you to carry them to the table for me."

She nodded agreeably, taking the glasses to the table on a serving tray. She started with Jareth, who was seated next to Gorn which gave him an honorable place at the table. He ignored her completely as she approached him from the side, trying to balance the heavy tray with one arm while removing a goblet with the other hand to place it in front of him.

She was doing very well, a little shaky with balancing the tray, but nothing as dramatic as loosing grip of it, until Jareth tilted his face up to look at her as she bent her knees to lower herself to reach the table with the glass. As soon as his eyes met hers, all her calm went out the window. The tray tilted to one side, the goblets shifted with it causing the entire tray to go lopsided. Jareth jumped from his chair, magically freezing the tray and goblets in mid-air to prevent it from crashing to the floor.

"Gorn, weren't you aware that Sarah has a gift for shattering crystal?" he asked mockingly with a humorous lilt in his tone.

"That was a dream that you put in my head!" Sarah defended hotly, feeling even more embarrassed than before.

"Really?" he remarked in a velvety voice. "And here I thought I was the pawn in one of '_your_' fantasies."

"One of '_my_' fantasies?" she exclaimed hotly, all embarrassment forgotten. "Why would you think that I fantasize about '_you_' in any way, shape, or form?"

"Don't you?" he asked suggestively with a smirk.

"No, I most certainly do not!"

"It does no good to deny it, you know," Jareth drawled smoothly, his eyes lit with amusement as he made a crystal ball appear at his fingertips. "I could show you, exactly, how you dream of…"

Spurred on by a sudden surge of panic, Sarah struck out her hand, and swiftly smacked the crystal from Jareth's hand. Jareth blinked and shifted backwards in surprise as the orb flew from his fingers, bounced upon the stone floor, and smashed into thousands of tiny shards against the wall. He calmly returned his gaze back to Sarah, smirking slightly at her violent attempt to hide the truth before he calmly glanced over at Gorn.

"I told you she had a gift for smashing crystals, did I not?" Jareth quipped smugly as he reseated himself.

Gorn bristled slightly as all eyes turned upon him. The few lords and ladies present had watched the entire display with apt attention, the other guests simply watched with confusion at not understanding anything that was transpiring before them. '_Why must these two make everything difficult?_' Gorn asked himself with exasperation. '_It's obvious that they are attracted to one another, why must they behave as though otherwise?_' Gorn stood, and stepped around Sarah to place thick fingers around the stem of a goblet that magically lingered in the air.

"Jareth, my friend, would you be so kind to assist with the goblets, and arrange them on the table?" He breathed freely as all the crystal goblets were magically placed before each lord and lady, while Gorn held fast to the one in his grasp. "Thank you," he stated thin lipped, turning to seat himself at the head of the table. "Sarah, be seated," he commanded gruffly, gesturing at the empty chair upon his right.

Sarah choked on her breath in surprise. She had been certain that Gorn would have her leave the feast after such a public display, but found herself hurriedly stepping forward as his black eyes slowly turned to look at her. Not thinking clearly, she forgot to lift the long hem of her dress before stepping forward, and promptly tripped over the extra length of material that wrapped around her feet. She cried out in alarm as she fell forward, reaching out for whatever she could grab in an attempt to not fall to the floor. Unfortunately, the only solid thing her hand found in her panic was Jareth's shoulder.

He foresaw her tumble peripherally as soon as she moved her foot, noticing how the material drew tight around her legs. As her hand fell upon his shoulder in an attempt to save herself, he reached his arm out, and grabbed her around her waist, landing her fully in his lap.

"Play-acting another fantasy, are we?" he mocked with a light chuckle, staring down his nose upon her flushed face.

Sarah had never been so mortified in her entire life as she stared up at Jareth in a flustered state of breathless speechlessness. Her dress had become one mass of oversized material, wrapping around her feet and legs during her quick tumble. But, it was the way his eyes laughed at her that humiliated her further. '_I wish I was dead!_' she thought with mortification.

Jareth's brow furrowed ever so slightly while Gorn's back tensed noticeably. The two kings shared a quick glance at one another, each of them having heard her wish, as well as the previous one she had made earlier. It may have been a thought, but it had been strong enough to be heard by the magical beings none the less. Gorn grasped the edge of the table, preparing himself to stand up, and personally escort Sarah from the hall when Jareth surprised him, yet again, with an act of kindness toward the girl.

Jareth looked down at Sarah sprawled haphazardly across his lap in a jumbled mess of material. He tilted his head to the side, frowning slightly as he reached out to gently stroke a piece of wayward hair from her face. "Wasn't much fun at all, was it?" he asked rhetorically in such a soft voice that Sarah had to strain to hear him.

Taking a deep cleansing breath, Jareth gathered her up, and helped her to her feet, standing along with her. Making sure to retain his hold on her arm, he turned her so that she faced him. He pointedly let his gaze slide down the length of her, magically adjusting the dress to fit her figure more appropriately. "That is much better, wouldn't you say," Jareth remarked with a smirk, as the hem of her dress now hung properly at her ankles. "We wouldn't want you to fall again, now would we?"

She wasn't sure how long she just stood there staring up at him, her mind a complete muddled mess void of all thought, when he suddenly smiled at her. It bedazzled her anew at how truly stunning he could be sometimes. She finally blinked herself from his enchanting gaze, and stepped back from him. "No," she whispered. "Wouldn't want that," she stated, pulling her eyes from his to look at the changes he had made to perfect the dress. "Thank you, for being generous," she remarked, looking up at him once more.

"I can be very generous for things within my power," he stated in a meaningful tone.

"But, you have no power over me, Jareth," she stated quietly without thinking. "Only the goblin king binds me to this place, not you."

Jareth smirked indifferently and turned away from her, reseating himself once more. Her words always managed to hurt somehow, despite Jareth's efforts to not let himself fall victim to her whims. But she was right. He may have been the one who allowed her to defeat him, but it was Gorn as Goblin King who held any power over her.

Sarah bashfully glanced at the others at the table as she proceeded to her assigned chair with a bowed head. Once she was in place, Gorn raised his magically filled crystal goblet, urging the others to follow his lead. "After such entertainment as that, let's begin the feast!" he announced jovially.

Goblins filed from the kitchen with bowls of demba to quickly serve the guests. After taking a healthy drink from his goblet, Gorn sat back in his chair and regarded Sarah thoughtfully. He then turned his gaze to his friend and neighbor, noticing a similar melancholy within him as well. He was about to begin his meal when Sarah's words came back to him in thought. '_Only the goblin king binds me to this place._' His spoon paused halfway to his lips as a new idea entered his ever devious mind of how to get these two to accept one another. He smiled covertly as he filled his mouth with the goblin delicacy. This time his idea will not fail!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed. (Except for the goblin foods that i made up out of thin air. and in all honesty… Jim henson can have that too.)

**Taken For Granted**

**Chapter Three**

"I was informed that you ignored a wish," Jareth stated as he appeared in the Goblin King's throne room.

"That is correct," Gorn answered, handing a goblin some parchments. The servant bowed in a crisp, sharp motion, then turned to leave. Jareth stepped forward as the advisor left the hall.

"I don't recall you ever ignoring a wish before, Gorn," Jareth confronted carefully. "Would you care to explain why you ignored this one?"

"I can't spare the goblins to entertain a wisher in the kingdom at this time," Gorn explained, standing from his chair to stretch, then leisurely stroll over to the window. "We're at a breaking point with the development of my city."

"It's been long enough, Gorn, don't you think?" Jareth quipped questioningly, falling into step next to his friend as they reached the window. "She should have been returned home by now."

"She works hard, Jareth," Gorn complimented, gazing out the window. It took him a second to locate Sarah within the city, but when he did he wasn't surprised to find her staring up in their direction. "Perhaps you should reconsider keeping her." He turned to look at the other king. "She asks on your behalf often since the feast," Gorn informed him slyly.

Jareth scoffed, turning away from the window altogether. "She dreams of me as well, Goblin King," Jareth retorted, chuckling without humor. "We both know she wants nothing to do with me, despite her flushed cheeks and nervousness whenever I am near."

"I think you take too much for granted." Gorn turned from the window to look at Jareth directly. "She's of age to keep now, in case you weren't aware."

Jareth whipped his attention towards his friend then steeled his features into a stoic expression. "Then you keep her," Jareth quipped sourly, tired of Gorn's insistent meddling. "I have better things to waste my time with than a mortal girl."

Gorn sighed inwardly at his friend's biting response. He had clearly noticed Jareth's initial reaction at hearing that Sarah was of age, only for him to adeptly cover it with indifference. For three years Gorn had planned and connived to get these two close to one another, only to be thwarted. Most often it had been Sarah's intuition that had foiled his plans, only for Jareth to turn his back on the opportunities when Sarah would have been vulnerable and caught unawares.

But Gorn remained persistent, patient, and diligent. He saw how they watched each other, how she asked on Jareth's behalf, and knew full well that Jareth watched the girl within his magic crystals. With one final effort, Gorn had prepared his last attempt. If this one failed as all the others had, then he would return the girl to her world, and let them suffer the consequences for their stubbornness.

"I have business in another kingdom," Gorn informed Jareth abruptly, stepping away from the window to pause by his friend's side. "I would ask you to oversee things in my absence, if you would, Lord of the Labyrinth."

"What about your breaking point for development?" Jareth asked, leaning back on his heels while turning to address Gorn directly.

"Something unexpected has arose that I need to address personally. Can I trust you, this time, to not answer any wishes in my absence?"

"I give you my word, Gorn," Jareth replied evenly. "The last one left a bitter taste in my mouth."

"Very good," Gorn exclaimed with relief, having not been certain Jareth would agree to this favor. "I am greatly appreciative of your generosity, Lord of the Labyrinth." He strode a few paces before turning to face Jareth. "My goblins have been instructed to heed your command, and I expect to return within five days." The Goblin King started to slowly fade from sight. "Oh, one last thing. I've given Sarah her own chambers in the castle, and she roams freely. She wasn't informed of you being here, but I'm sure she already knows, none the less."

"Gorn!" Jareth called out bitterly at the other king's slight handedness, but he was already gone. With a deep sigh of resignation, Jareth strode over to the throne and plopped himself in the oversized chair, flinging his legs over one arm while letting his head fall back over the other. "Five days of being in close proximity to '_her_'," he mused aloud. "Fate help me."

"King can dance with girl like last time," one of the goblins stated from nearby. Jareth rolled his head to the side and opened his eyes to see said goblin waltzing in a small circle in front of the throne with his arms held out in the air. "She likes to dance, teaches goblins."

'…_like last time_,' the words echoed in his head. A smirk slowly crept upon his face as he lithely swung his legs to face forward. '_When I was acting Goblin King_.'

When the little goblin spun around to say something else to the king, he tripped over his feet and almost fell down at the throne suddenly being empty. "Guess he not like to dance anymore."

XxXxX

Sarah paused in her work, glancing around as a strange feeling washed over her. She almost expected to see dark bilious clouds looming overhead, yet the skies remained clear and blue. "Gidget, what's happening?" she asked the goblin who worked next to her.

"The Goblin King has left the city," she informed Sarah simply. "He goes to another kingdom on business."

"Oh," Sarah responded, taking a breath of relief. Then realization dawned on her. "Wait a minute, doesn't Jareth act as goblin king while Gorn is away?"

"Yes," the goblin answered nonplussed. "We are expected to heed his command same as Gorn's."

"Oh, no," Sarah whispered, feeling the heat of panic swell within her. "I can't stay here. I have to leave," she rambled, getting to her feet. "I have to…"

"Hide?" Jareth's voice taunted from behind her.

Sarah spun around with an expression of terror on her face, flattening her back against the stone wall behind her.

"What could Gorn possibly have told you, I wonder," Jareth mused questioningly as he lithely moved closer to her, leaning his forearm on the wall next to Sarah's shoulder. "To cause you to fear me so?"

Her eyes focused on the medallion around Jareth's neck, a medallion that actually belonged to Gorn, and now seemed alien resting upon Jareth's chest. Pooling on all her inner strength, she lifted her gaze to meet his mismatched, captivating eyes. "I don't fear you, I was simply caught off guard," she lied with bravado.

"I doubt that very much," he chuckled with slight humor, clearly sensing her attempt to deceive him. "I was told that you celebrated a birthday," he whispered near her ear, leaning so close that his cheek almost touched hers.

"I've had three while being here, so what?" Sarah breathed in barely a steady voice. His nearness effected her like never before, especially when he got this close.

"So, I owe you a gift," he whispered into her ear.

Her breath caught in her throat. She closed her eyes against the effect of the sound of his voice was having on her. "No, thanks," she choked. "Gorn was more than generous with a celebration."

Jareth's first impulse was to push away from her, being stung once more by her rejection of him, her rejection of anything he offered her. But, her reaction to his presence was too obvious for him to ignore. He, too, felt the unaccountable desire that flooded his senses, causing his heart to pound painfully in his chest, his blood race hotly in his veins. A smirk slowly formed on his lips as he placed two gloved fingers under her chin, tilting her face up to his. "But, nothing as personal as this, I'm sure."

She felt his shadow cross her face as he drew closer. She knew he was about to kiss her and both dreaded and wanted it at the same time. Unwittingly her fingers grasped the front of his shirt as his lips gently touched upon hers. It was a brief, fleeting contact, and not at all unpleasant as she had expected. She slowly opened her eyes just as he dipped his head to hers for another taste, causing her to close them once more.

The second kiss was firmer, more arousing as his lips moved over hers. She moaned in her throat with helplessness. She didn't want this. She wanted nothing to do with him. He already had claim over her, and now, as Goblin King, he also had the power over her that she had given to Gorn. But, her head reeled, her mind completely muddled, only his lips upon hers existed, and she found herself responding to his arousing gentleness.

Her tentative response to him was nearly too much to bear. He had expected her to fight, to bite, kick, or at least shove him away as she had done previously when he had cornered her. The overwhelming urge to take her to his private rooms was so strong that he broke the kiss, and rested his forehead against hers while they both drew in ragged breaths.

He closed his eyes in an attempt to fight this overwhelming urge while she opened hers to see her fingers grasping his shirt with white knuckles. She slowly loosened her grip of the material, letting her hands rest flatly upon his chest. She licked at her lips, tasting him with the tip of her tongue as he faded from her sight without comment or challenge.

Sarah slowly sunk to the ground on weak knees, her back sliding along the wall until her bottom reached the dirt. She breathed unevenly as she stared unseeingly straight ahead. That had definitely not been a reaction she had expected. As her breaths evened she became aware of Gidget calling her with concern in her voice. Blinkingly, she turned her head to look up at the little goblin.

"I guess you not hide fast enough, hey?" she joked with kind, knowing eyes.

Sarah laughed in short uneven spurts as she got to her feet. "Yea, I guess not," she returned with good humor, but couldn't help glance towards the castle while dusting herself off.

XxXxX

'_He owns me_,' Sarah mused after settling herself in her bed, her covers securely around her shoulders. '_Everything about him draws me to him_,' she continued thinking silently. '_I can't stop thinking about him. I dream of him. I want to know more about him._' She rolled over to her side, preparing herself for a long sleepless night. How could she sleep knowing he was in the same castle? Knowing he was so close that she could feel his presence like the heat from a fire, warm and inviting.

She wondered, and not for the first time, where he was from. Where did he live if not the castle beyond the goblin city? Did he have servants to care for him as Gorn did, as a king should? Or was he truly all alone as rumor told? How is he the Lord of the Labyrinth and yet not king of the goblins? What had happened to her that she feels like this towards him? Would she feel this way towards Gorn if she had defeated him to get her brother back?

No. Gorn had made it perfectly clear that he would have left her in the oubliette, at least until her time was up, and that Jareth had let her defeat him. '_He won the moment you stepped into his labyrinth_.' Gorn had told her of Jareth.

'_Why?_' she asked herself for the thousandth time. '_Why would he let me think I won? Why would he let me go home? Why does his kiss still linger on my lips when its been over ten hours!_' She placed her fingertips to her lips, tracing them with confusion. They felt as though he had literally just pulled away from her, tingling and aching for more. "What have you done to me, Jareth?" she asked quietly into the dark room.

XxXxX

'_Oh, by the Fate's, what have I done?_' Jareth asked himself for the hundredth time since he had kissed Sarah. There was no denying the attraction, the yearning, the desire that had sparked between them. He had chosen her from among thousands of other wishers. He had allowed her to defeat his labyrinth, had offered her everything only for her to reject him, to take the baby and go home, and then return.

'_Her return_,' he thought with sudden clarity, straightening his back as he sat within the arch of the open stone window. '_She had summoned me!_' He turned a thoughtful gaze towards the interior of the throne room. '_What had she wanted that neither Gorn nor Sarah will tell me?_' With his mind set, he gracefully removed himself from the sill, and strode with purposeful steps in the direction of Sarah's private chambers.

The feeling of his presence steadily grew stronger. Sarah quickly scrambled from the bed and donned her robe, wrapping it tightly around herself just as the door opened wide to show his silhouette in the doorway, cast by the torches in the corridor behind him.

"Going somewhere?" Jareth asked casually, stepping into the room while lighting some sconces with his magic to give light in the room.

"I woke up from a bad dream," she answered in a wavering voice. "I was just going to get some water."

"Really?" he quipped skeptically, arching an elegant brow disbelievingly. A glass appeared in his hand as he strode towards her. It took all that Sarah possessed to remain in place as he drew closer. "Gorn told me that you could sense my presence when I was near," he informed her, holding out the glass towards her. "I had previously disregarded it." He lowered the timbre of his voice as he continued. "Until now."

"I guess you didn't take back those gifts after all," she responded with a shaky smile, taking the offered glass to drink healthily from it, hoping it would calm her nerves, even it was only water.

He waited silently for her to finish drinking, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded her intently. She may have been abed, but she hadn't been sleeping. He could see it in her eyes, by the smudge of dark circles under them from lack of sleep. He appreciated the changes in her physical appearance while he waited. She had matured beautifully, her body had filled out in all the right places, giving her exquisite curves.

"What do you want, Jareth?" she finally asked, terrified of what his answer could be by the expression in his eyes as he looked at her.

"I want to know why you summoned me," he answered her simply in an authoritative tone, bringing his mind back to his purpose of intruding her room.

"I didn't summon you," she replied warily, not sure what trick he was planning. "I told you, I had a…"

"I'm referring to the night of your first visit, Sarah," he interrupted with slight impatience. "Since your return it has become a mystery for '_why_' you had summoned me, the Goblin King, after you were returned home. I want to know for what reason you had summoned me."

Sarah diverted her eyes from him, turning her head to the side while swallowing hard for an answer. It had been Gorn that had lied to Jareth about her being back in the Underground, but she never corrected that misconception, either. She thought frantically for what to tell him. Would he be angry if he knew the truth? Would he start a war with Gorn? What would happen to the goblins, to the other creatures in the labyrinth if they had to battle against each other? The Goblin City wouldn't survive if it was cut off from the labyrinth. It would destroy two kings who called each other friends.

Jareth became guarded and defensive as she struggled to give him an answer. Something wasn't right, he could sense it from within her. Her breathing had become shallow, her eyes darted along the floor frantically in a panic. "What have you done, Sarah?" he asked in a low even tone.

She lifted her gaze from the floor to meet his steady, unyielding eyes, while hers filled with uncertainty and dread. "I've done nothing," she answered him. "I didn't summon you, or the Goblin King that night. Gorn brought me back to heal what I had broken."

"Did he now?" Jareth voiced with curiosity, raising his brows slightly. "Those were his exact words?"

Sarah nodded. "He told me he would keep me here forever if that's how long it took me to fix everything."

Jareth turned away from her, hiding the wistful smile that graced his face. '_You crafty old goblin_,' Jareth thought fondly of his friend.

"Jareth, please," she pleaded, reaching out to him to place a hand on his arm. "Don't start a war because of me! I'll do whatever you want! I swear! Just, don't let anyone get hurt!"

"You honestly think I would start a war upon my neighboring friend because of a girl?" he questioned with an amused lilt in his voice, turning his head to peer down his nose at her from over his shoulder. He could see it in her eyes that she believed him capable of just that. The ever formidable, fearful king. '_She doesn't know you_,' Gorn had pointed out to him more than once. '_She's only seen the fearful, commanding side of you, not the being who desperately needs companionship._' Jareth turned away from her, warring with himself internally. Her short-sightedness of him hurt, while her sworn oath to do his bidding still rang in his ears. He briskly strode across the room towards the door.

"Jareth, please, don't!" she cried after him, thinking the worse case scenario. "I'll do whatever you want!"

He stopped on his heels and turned back to face her, retracing his steps. "What would you do if I offered you another chance?" he barked at her in a forceful tone. Confusion filled her expression while she took an inadvertent step backwards at his approach. "I am King Jareth, Lord of the Labyrinth, and at the moment, Goblin King." He relaxed his stance somewhat as he reached her, stopping just a pace away from her. His voice lost its sharp edge as he continued. "I can release you of this obligation, send you back home to the Aboveworld, never to be daunted by any of us again." He shifted his head regally to look down at her. "What would you do if I offered you a second chance?"

Sarah was completely flabbergasted. She hadn't thought of what would happen when she finished her obligation to the Goblin King. She had simply conformed to this kingdom, with these creatures, without a second thought, without any regret. She had made more friends and liked living there. She realized she was thinking too long when Jareth began to pace before her with his hands behind his back, watching her as he moved back and forth in front of her.

"I don't want a second chance," she told him in a low, soft voice, catching her breath at the cold glare he bestowed upon her at her answer. "I don't want to go back," she elaborated, realizing that he had taken her answer as another rejection to him personally. "I want to stay here, in the labyrinth."

The coldness in his eyes warmed dramatically as she explained her herself, only to be replaced with wariness. "But not with me," he surmised evenly, keeping his emotions in check.

Sarah was standing on a threshold, she could feel it. The next thing she said would seal her fate forever, and forever was a very long time in this place. With so much uncertainty and confusion running around in her mind she didn't know what to say. She took a couple steps backwards, turning away from him to slowly walk over to the fireplace.

"I wasn't having a bad dream when you came in," she told him, staring thoughtfully into the glowing embers. "In fact, I was just lying there… thinking, about you." She chanced a glance in his direction to see him quietly watching her, listening to her. "There's so much about you that I don't know. Things I wonder about."

"Such as?" he prompted, wondering if she was stalling for time, being avoidant to his question, or simply wasn't sure how to answer him.

"Such as," she repeated, turning around to look at him fully, shoving her hands into the pockets of her robe. "Where do you live? Do you have a castle? Servants that take care of you like Gorn has? How are you a king, the Lord of the Labyrinth, but you don't rule over the goblin city when it's in the center of the labyrinth?" She looked away, moving towards a sofa nearby. "I've asked Gorn," she told him in a shy voice. "But he just laughed whenever I mentioned your name, so I stopped asking."

"You've been very thoughtful on my behalf, haven't you?" he quipped, feeling a calm wash over him by her questions. She was curious about him. She wanted to know more, which meant that she had an interest. He strode over to the fireplace, and leaned upon the thick stone. "My castle '_is_' the labyrinth," he answered her in a peaceable tone. "Just as everything else in my kingdom, you must know what you are looking for in order to see it."

"Like the doorways when you first enter the labyrinth," she surmised with a nod of understanding.

"Yes."

"But, how do you '_hide_' a castle? It would be seen towering above everything else, wouldn't it?"

"That depends on your perspective." He pushed away from the wall to cross over to her. "Come, I'll show you," he offered amicably, holding out his hand for her to take.

"I'm not exactly dressed to go cavorting through the labyrinth, Jareth," she remarked uncomfortably with a small chuckle, though tentatively placed her hand in his.

"We're only going to the throne room, Sarah," he assured her, escorting her to her feet with her hand in his. "You can see my castle from here," he stated, both of them suddenly in the throne room. He led her to the window, and pointed out over the labyrinth. "It's right there." He stated with pride.

Sarah searched the moonlit darkness for some sign of a castle in the direction he had pointed, but couldn't see a damn thing. "I guess I'll just take your word for it," she told him hesitantly.

He moved to stand behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist while taking her left hand in his. Folding her pliant fingers until only one stuck out, he raised it into the air, and began to trace an outline in front of her eyes. At first she was too consumed with him being so close, of his arm holding her, of the feel of his body pressed against her back. She could feel the warmth from him, and… then she saw it. The silhouette of a castle looming into the sky as grand as anything she had ever seen.

"How do you hide that?" she asked in utter amazement.

"You take too much for granted, and simply don't see what is right before your eyes. It is easy to see Gorn's castle standing regally above and beyond the labyrinth, so it's not expected for a second castle to be within the same kingdom."

"But, I've been here for years," Sarah countered. "I've looked out this window many times, and I've never…" She chuckled lightly to herself. "No wonder Gorn laughed when I asked where you lived. I was standing right here when I asked him."

"Gorn doesn't like having to explain the obvious," Jareth informed her. "Except to his goblins."

"I've noticed that about him," Sarah replied, nodding in agreement. "I still can't believe there's been a castle there this entire time." She sighed deeply, tracing the castle's silhouette with her eyes while relaxing back against Jareth, folding her arms over his around her waist. "That's why the book specifically states, 'the castle beyond the goblin city'," she mused aloud. "So you would know which one you had to reach. I probably walked right past it, and never knew it.

"Actually, you went the opposite direction to reach my castle," he informed her in a soft tone. "If you had of went left when you first entered my labyrinth, it would have taken you directly to it."

Sarah huffed thoughtfully. "The little worm told me not to go that way," she reminisced. "I never even asked why. I just turned around, and went the other way."

Jareth's gaze shifted from his castle to the young woman in his arms. Bending his head slightly, he caressed her ear with the tip of his nose, curious of what her reaction would be. He felt her breathing change, and she tilted her head slightly to the side. Taking that as encouragement, he bent his head lower to place his lips upon the delicate skin of her neck.

"Why have you feared me so?" he asked between nibbles upon her delicate skin.

"Because you hold a claim over me," she admitted, sharing what Gorn had told her. "Because you let me think I defeated you, you gave me my brother back, and you let me go home."

"And why do you think I did all of those things?"

She shook her head and tried to move away from him. He held her fast, keeping her within his firm embrace. "I don't know. Gorn wouldn't tell me."

"Surely you can figure it out on your own," he encouraged softly. "I may have allowed you to defeat me, but you made your way through my labyrinth yourself."

"Gorn said he would've left me in the oubliette."

"He would have," Jareth readily agreed with a small chuckle. "Just as I have done countless of times. But, I didn't want you in my oubliette, Sarah. I wanted you to willingly stay with me."

"I thought you wanted to hurt me," she admitted. "But, you were so nice to me at the feast, and I have all these feelings whenever you get close that I can't even think straight." She inhaled deeply, leaning back into him with her fingers clutching his arm tightly. She closed her eyes at the feelings he was stirring within her, knowing that this was right, that she truly belonged to him. "I meant what I said," she told him in a breathless voice.

"Which part?" he questioned, pulling back far enough to be able to look upon her face.

"I'll do whatever you want," she whispered, turning her face back and up towards his. "I want to be with you."

He pulled her tighter against his body, leaning over her shoulder to capture her waiting lips with his.

XxXxX

"What! In Fate's name have you done to my city this time?" Gorn bellowed gruffly as he entered his throne room upon his return. "Why is it completely restored? I was hoping to have Sarah rebuild for another two years yet!"

"Gorn," Jareth greeted cheerfully with a smile, swinging his legs to the front of the chair. "Nice to see that you remembered you had a kingdom to rule."

"What has happened?" Gorn asked with sudden suspicion, looking around warily for some clue as to why his friend was in such good spirits. "You didn't answer any wishes in my absence, did you?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Jareth informed him good naturedly, rising from the throne he skipped down the few steps. "You'll be happy to know that you currently have three more citizens to take care of."

"Three? You answered three wishes? I was barely gone for four days!" he complained, sliding heavily into his chair.

"Actually, it was one wish, three babes. I couldn't pass up the challenge," Jareth stated haughtily.

"You're not telling me something, Lord of the labyrinth," he accused. "What else has happened?"

"Well, besides my taking over the rebuilding of your city, which I completed in two days mind you, the fairy flu almost made it into the kingdom, again. However it was destroyed by an other worldly means which caused the thing to simply fall over dead with no casualties to us at all."

"Fairy flu? Fall over dead?" Gorn asked with disbelief. "What other worldly means do you speak of when it would have taken both our magic combined to simply contain the thing?"

"I believe she called it, chicken soup," he quipped with recollection. "The beast loved every drop of it clear up to its last swallow," he explained enthusiastically. "We're having it stuffed and mounted in my castle."

"She?" Gorn repeated, then began to chuckle. "So, you were able to come to an understanding with Sarah?"

"You could say that," Jareth smirked.

"What else have you done?" Gorn pressed, narrowing his black eyes suspiciously.

"As acting Goblin King, I offered the young woman a second chance to return home."

"No," Gorn breathed with shock. "You didn't!"

"I did," he answered indignantly. "But, as you can expect, she refused my offer."

Gorn groaned with inner turmoil, rubbing between the horns on his head. "Where is she?"

"There," Jareth replied, point out the window. "In my castle." He turned back to Gorn. "It seems she doesn't want to return to the Aboveground, and has made an oath to do whatever I say."

"And you're satisfied with this?"

"I'm very satisfied," Jareth answered with a gleam in his eyes, and a smirk on his lips.

XxXxX

Sarah was about to lift a tray of food when she felt Jareth's presence nearby. Resetting the platter on the linen covered table, she turned around to find both Jareth and Gorn standing in the room. "Goblin King," Sarah greeted pleasantly. "How was your trip?"

"Not nearly as eventful as the goings on around here," he mumbled, taking in all the activity of the servants, the refreshing atmosphere of the labyrinth castle, and the smile that not only touched upon Sarah's face, but rested in her eyes as well, something Gorn had never seen in the girl before.

"I told you she wasn't in the oubliette," Jareth remarked dignified, moving away from his friend to inspect the food tray. Finding something he liked, he took a piece, and popped it in his mouth.

"I'm making some demba," Sarah informed Gorn. "Gidget showed me, again, how to prepare it, but this will be the first time I've made an authentic goblin dish by myself. Would you like to stay, and try some?"

"I would never turn down the chance to try some demba," Gorn replied, seating himself at the table.

"I'll serve some right away," she announced, heading across the hall towards the kitchen. "Oh, and by the way, Gorn." She paused at the archway to look back at their neighboring king with a grin on her face. "Plants can't jump out of a boiling pot, not even in this place."

Gorn laughed heartily as Sarah disappeared into the kitchen. "She is not so gullible while in your care, Lord of the Labyrinth," he quipped fondly, still chuckling with humor.

"I wouldn't assume so much, my friend," Jareth stated lightly as he seated himself at the head of his table, Gorn sitting at his left. "I haven't corrected her misconception that I had the power to released her from her obligation to the Goblin King, while I was acting Goblin King, of course."

Gorn regarded Jareth with level eyes, sat up straighter in his chair, then leaned closer to Jareth. "I've told you before, my friend, I don't want the girl. She's yours, Jareth. She always has been." Then, Gorn declared in an official voice. "I hereby relinquish all my power over Sarah Williams to you, Jareth, Lord of the Labyrinth."

"That '_is_' most generous of you, Goblin King," Jareth stated reverently, bowing his head with reverence. "I am forever in your debt."

"Pah," Gorn sounded, waving his hand nonchalantly. "She was never under my control to begin with," he stated carelessly, then chuckled at the bland expression that came over Jareth's features. "You have always had power over her, my friend," he stated still chuckling. "It was by your challenge and your word that decided her fate, not mine. It's not my fault you both take things for granted so easily."

"I'll have to work harder on that, it seems," Jareth stated, completely chagrinned.

"That is a good idea," Gorn nodded, grinning broadly.

A couple of servants carrying bowls of demba approached the table and served the kings. Gorn hesitantly dipped his spoon into the bowl set before him, then paused for a moment after it was in his mouth.

"Well?" Jareth prompted impatiently, not daring to place anything in his mouth until Gorn either spewed the substance or swallowed it. "Is it edible?"

After another moment of having the demba in his mouth, Gorn began to chew slowly, then swallowed. "It's disgusting," he commented in an even, flat tone, staring at the bowl in front of him. He waved his hand over the bowl, then took another spoonful, repeating his previous taste test.

"I thought as much," Jareth replied, putting his spoon down with disappointment. "And, she made tons of the stuff."

"Hmm," Gorn sounded appreciatively in his throat, chewing more adamantly with the second helping. "That's all it needed," he announced with satisfaction. He motioned for Jareth to move his bowl closer, waved his hand magically over it, then sat back in his chair. "Every goblin knows that the secret ingredient to Demba is goblin magic!"

"Which, you obviously didn't tell Sarah," Jareth remarked, taking a tentative taste from his bowl.

"You are sworn to secrecy, Lord of the Labyrinth. We generally don't tell our secret ingredient to outsiders."

"You have my solemn word," Jareth assured his friend.

"So," Sarah announced, returning from the kitchen. "How is it?" she asked, approaching the table with a smaller tray bearing three crystal goblets of wine.

"It's delicious!" Gorn replied with fervor, spooning more into is mouth.

"Is he serious?" Sarah asked Jareth, not sure if she should believe the Goblin King or not. As she placed the wine goblets on the table.

"Yes, this is very good," Jareth complimented. "Though, I wouldn't make so much in the future. There's a secret ingredient, and only Gorn knows what it is."

"Oh, no," she fretted, holding the empty tray under her arm as she turned to face Gorn. "So, it's ruined," she assumed. "I made all of that demba for nothing!"

"Sarah," Jareth addressed around another mouthful.

"Why can't anything in this place just be what it is?" she asked, thoroughly upset.

"Sarah," Jareth tried again to gain her attention.

"Why does everything have to be hidden, or have secret doorways, and… ingredients?" she ranted, flailing her free arm into the air moving her feet to step back from the table. "Why can't… Oh!" Sarah felt the back of her foot hit against something hard, throwing her off balance only to trip on her long skirt as she tried to collect herself.

Jareth's arm snaked out to wrap around her waist, pulling her onto his lap in a flurry of hair, limbs, and material. "I was trying to tell you to watch your step," he explained haughtily, looking down his nose at her. "There's a rut in the stone."

Her breath completely left her as she stared up at Jareth, the same consuming heat filled her at his closeness just as it had done before. Only it seemed to have intensified since they've shared intimacies. She snaked a hand to the back of his head, silently urging him to bring his face closer, closing her eyes as he willing obliged, and took her lips in his.

"I'll let the two of you rehash old memories, while I go to the kitchen for more demba," Gorn announced, rising from the chair with his empty bowl. He paused after only two steps away from the table, and glanced back over his shoulder to find them both gone from sight. '_Finally!_' the Goblin King thought robustly. _'She fixed what she'd broken. It will be nice to have my city back! Ecept maybe the channel, that was a good idea._' Gorm turned back toward the kitchen. 'But, first, I'll help myself to more demba!'

The End


End file.
